Chapter 14 - The Letter at the School
Alma's teacher called two days later. An envelope had been delivered to the classroom with my daughter's name on it. The office intercepted it before Alma saw it.
Inside was a letter from Beatriz. It said I was sick, confused, and likely to forget the people who loved me. It asked Alma to keep a secret contact number and meet Grandma after school if the adults around her seemed "unfair."
My hands shook as I read the photograph the principal sent. Beatriz had turned a child's fear into instructions for disobedience.
"Tell Alma the truth," I said to Daniel. "Age-appropriate truth. Not the story that makes us look nicest."
That evening Ruth brought her for a visit. Alma drew small circles on the edge of my blanket.
"Grandma says I'm choosing sides," she said.
"You aren't in charge of choosing adults," I told her. "The adults are in charge of keeping you safe."
"But you might die."
The room went quiet. I wanted to promise I would live forever, which is what terrified parents say when they're desperate. Instead I told her the truth: I had been very sick, I was getting stronger, and the doctors were caring for me and the baby.
"You can ask me questions," I said. "Even the scary ones."
She leaned against me. "Will Grandma be mad?"
"Maybe. But her feelings are not yours to fix."
After Alma left, I called Lena Price. She recommended documenting the school letter and asking a court for temporary protections. She also told me Beatriz had contacted her office, claiming to represent Daniel and demanding our family's new address.
"We refused," Lena said. "But that isn't the strangest part."
May you like
"What is?"
"She knew details from your hospital stay that only people with access to the forged forms should have known. We need to find out whether someone gave her information after her access was restricted."
